A source told People magazine: “She had been suffering for a long time.

“She was sick for years.

“At one point, she wasn’t able to leave the house; she was in bad shape.

“The whole family rallied around her. And in the end they were always there to support her. Everyone knew [her death] was imminent. It was a matter of time.”

Robert Dupont, a former boyfriend of Alexis – who was known as Robert before transitioning in 2006 – confirmed his ex-partner had multiple ailments, including AIDS, and also claimed the star was living as a man again before her passing.

“Alexis had changed over and was living as a man again and he asked me if I had any clothes I didn’t want that he could wear. I had only a few things I had with me as I was visiting from Palm Springs.”

The She’s All That star’s death was confirmed by her brother Richmond.

He posted on Facebook: “Our brother Robert, who became our brother Alexis, who became our sister Alexis, who became our brother Alexis, passed this morning September 11, at 12:32 am. He was surrounded by all of his brothers and sisters, one of his nieces and several other loved ones.

TV chat with late transgender actress Alexis Arquette who has died aged 47

"We were playing music for him and he passed during David Bowie's Starman. As per his wishes, we cheered at the moment that he transitioned to another dimension.

"I am feeling immense gratitude to have been afforded the luxury of sharing life with him/her, for learning from Alexis, for being given the gift of being able to love her/him and to be loved by him/her. He was a force. He died as he lived, on his own terms. I am immensely grateful that it was fast and painless. It was an incredible moving experience and I am humbled and grateful to have been able to have been with him as he began his journey onward. Thank you, Alexis, I love you and will always love you (sic)."

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